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Asked: 2024-09-24T16:54:06+05:30 In:

What steps can I follow to modify the boot order in GRUB on my Ubuntu system?

So, I’ve been trying to figure out how to modify the boot order in GRUB on my Ubuntu system, and I’m kind of stuck. I feel like I’ve read a ton of tutorials, but they all seem to assume I know more than I actually do. Here’s the thing: I’m running a dual-boot setup with Ubuntu and Windows, and I really want to change the default operating system that boots up when I power on the machine.

From what I understand, the GRUB menu is where all the action happens, but when I boot up, it just goes straight to Ubuntu without showing me any options. I know there’s a way to change that, but the instructions I found seem overly technical and make me nervous about messing anything up. I’d hate to accidentally make my system unbootable!

So, if anyone could break it down for me in a simpler way, I’d really appreciate it. Like, do I need to open a terminal, or is there a graphical way to do it? Also, I’ve heard you can edit a file called `grub` or something like that; is that true? What if I want to make sure that Windows boots by default? Can I just change a line in that file, or is there something else I should be doing?

I’ve also heard that I might need to run a command to update GRUB once I make changes, but I’m not entirely sure what that command looks like. Honestly, I’m a bit intimidated since I don’t want to ruin anything. If anyone has gone through this process or can share their experiences, I’d love to hear your tips or steps you followed.

I’ve got a few important projects set up in Ubuntu, and I don’t want to potentially mess them up in the process. Any guidance would seriously help me out! Thanks in advance!

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    2 Answers

    1. To change the default operating system in GRUB on your Ubuntu dual-boot setup with Windows, you’ll want to first ensure that you can access the GRUB configuration file. You can do this either through the terminal or a text editor with root privileges. Open a terminal and type the command sudo nano /etc/default/grub. In this file, look for the line that starts with GRUB_DEFAULT=. The number you place after the equals sign corresponds to the position of the OS in the GRUB menu (starting from 0). For example, if Windows is the first option after Ubuntu, you would set it to GRUB_DEFAULT=1. If you’re unsure of the order, you can open the GRUB menu during boot by holding the Shift key, which will show you the list of installed operating systems.

      After making your changes to the grub file, you’ll need to update GRUB for the changes to take effect. You can do this easily by running the command sudo update-grub in the terminal. This command automatically detects the available operating systems and updates the GRUB configuration with your modifications. If you want to see the GRUB menu every time you boot, set GRUB_TIMEOUT=10 in the same file to give yourself some time to choose the OS. Once you’ve saved your configuration and updated GRUB, reboot your system, and you should see the GRUB menu allowing you to select between Ubuntu and Windows on startup.



    2. Changing GRUB Boot Order

      Changing the Default Boot OS in GRUB for Ubuntu

      To change the boot order in GRUB on your dual-boot system, you’re right that it can be a bit tricky if you’re not familiar with it. But don’t worry; I’ll try to simplify it as much as I can!

      Seeing the GRUB Menu

      First off, if GRUB is booting right into Ubuntu without showing you the options, you can usually get around this. When you boot up your computer, try holding the Shift key right after the BIOS/UEFI screen disappears. This should bring up the GRUB menu, where you can see both Ubuntu and Windows options.

      Editing GRUB Configuration

      Now, to change the default OS that boots (like setting Windows to boot by default), you’ll need to access the GRUB configuration file. Yes, there is a file called /etc/default/grub that you can edit! Here’s how:

      1. Open a Terminal. You can find it in your applications or by pressing Ctrl + Alt + T.
      2. Type the following command to edit the GRUB file. You’ll need superuser privileges:
        3. sudo nano /etc/default/grub
      3. You’ll see a line that looks like this:
        4. GRUB_DEFAULT=0
      4. This ‘0’ corresponds to the first menu entry in GRUB. If you want to set Windows to boot as default, count the entries in the GRUB menu (starting from 0). Let’s say Windows is the second entry, you’d change it to:
        5. GRUB_DEFAULT=1
      5. Once you’ve made your change, save and exit by pressing Ctrl + X, then Y, and finally Enter.

      Updating GRUB

      After editing, you need to update GRUB for the changes to take effect. In the terminal, run:

      sudo update-grub

      This command scans for available OS and updates the GRUB menu accordingly.

      Final Tips

      Be careful while editing files! If you’re not sure about something, it’s good to take a backup of the original file. You can create a backup with:

      sudo cp /etc/default/grub /etc/default/grub.bak

      If anything goes wrong, you can restore it using the backup.

      And that’s it! After doing this, next time you boot up your computer, you should see the GRUB menu with the default OS set to Windows (or whatever you chose).

      Feel free to ask if you have more questions or if something isn’t clear!


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